Desert Flower
by Kohako Shadow
Summary: A weed in the desert is still a flower. ETA 19/6 Re-edit of chapters. Will be updating soon.
1. Ryou's POV

**Title:** Desert Flower  
**Author: **KohakoShadow  
**Disclaimer: **I do not own anyone or anything of YGO and co. I just  
happen to use them for my nefarious pleasures. But the poem in the story is mine.  
**Warnings: **No beta, just spell-check and we know how reliable that is. Still looking for beta, pm if you're interested  
**Universe: **Brothers  
**Pairing(s): **Bakura/Jou, mention of Atemu/Ryou  
**Summary: **A weed in the desert is still a flower

Before we even left our place Bakura was bitching about everything.

Off course this could have had to do with our present company. Aside from Barney the purple dinosaur, Bakura hates Atemu even more. And as much as I dislike seeing Atemu tense up every time my big brother creeps closer, I'm doing this for a good cause, so he just has to endure my slightly maniacal brother for a couple of hours. I know I should have probably ordered Bakura to leave his knives back home.

"Oh For God's Sake Atemu don't be such a wimp." I whisper quitly to him. He spins around and glare at me before frowning to the ground. On the other side of me, Bakura is staring right back with a smug grin adorning his face. Idly fondling a tiny butterlfy knife. I roll my eyes at his attempt to mind-fuck with my boyfriend and grab his knife. I stuff it deep in my pocket. He's wearing a matching frown like my boyfriend but I resist. I like my boyfriends not broken, if you please.

Eventually we break contact and resume our walk. I sigh. I can never figure Bakura out. For someone as highly skilled in Martial Arts he's one of the most paranoid people alive. He keeps multitude of knives on his body, all are strategically placed. They are hardly noticeable, even though some are taller than my arm. I've stopped counting after number 15. I mean I knew he had a passion for knives but he could easily kill someone with his thumb. So why the overcompensation with ancient knives and sabers.

But I'm getting off track.

I urge the others gently but quickly toward our destination and head off any decapitation, mutilation or the manhandling of passerbyers by Bakura and push the others inside the dreary building in front of us. We pass a huge banner overhead and I don't have to be blind to know everyone is looking chagrined at the prospect of listening to some dreary people recite their own angsty poems to a handful of not so interested people pretending to be interested just for the laughs and jeers. Human beings are such cruel and pathetic creatures on earth.

Anyway as we sit here listening to some guy tell us about his pet lizard in free verse, I look the others over. Judging from the squirming of limbs, Tristan and Duke are holding one of their impromptu thumb wars again. I swear they are such little children. It's so obvious that they are meant for each other. Just friends my ass, hah, you are not fooling anyone with that!

I'm guessing that Marik and Malik are off into their own little world again, someplace quiet and where the only company they've got are their PS3 and a variety of games. They should really have somebody check over their hands and fingers, those twitches are very distracting. I am actually pretty proud with myself in manipulating them into going with us. Note to myself, buy a box of chocolate for Mai.

I could not have done this without her, although she probably should have mentioned the hazard of the job. I didn't exactly expect Malik to attack me with a pen of all things, just because I lied about where we were going. I mean a open podium night is kind of like watching DOA: Dead or Alive.

I mean there's the action, although not astonishing, it is still very entertaining. I mean that act with the fruit was, uh, something. 'Sides it's kind of like staring at a car accident in morbid fascination. Despite the bloods, guts and destruction, you can't look away.

And off course there are a lot of women; it's not my fault all of them are above their 50's and more of them are old cat lady. You know the one that always smell funky, 'cause of all those cats she takes home with her and all. The woman were definitely nothing like those Desperate Housewives Mokuba keeps telling me about. I'm deeply worried about where his mind is off to. And we can't forget about the diabolic plan of this establishment. I mean being here is such torture I'm actually considering seppuku.

I hope Bakura and Jou appreciate everything that I've done because this will be the last time I ever do this for one of my friends. **Another note to myself**: must resist Jou next time when he uses his puppy dog eyes. Kaiba is so right about him. Although he acts more like a overgrown puppy than a mutt.

Finally! Jou is coming up. I can tell by his tense shoulders that he's nervous. Oh, and he's flushing. He looks so cute when he does that. Oh crap, Atemu is looking funny at me, really must tone down my libido. Sorry loverboy, but 'just because I have you doesn't mean I can't have my fantasies. I mean,come one. Jou is so adorable and I'm very thankful for every deity in the world that I know, which is a lot thanks to my father, that Bakura has not mastered the power of telepathy or else I would have long been shred to ribbons.

"Hello, my name is Jou. I'll just cut to the chase so I can be done with it." A big sigh. "I'm not that good actually but I wanted to read to you a poem that I made for this special person that I have a crush on."

He blushes deeper when everyone's is awwing at him. After a minute or two he straigthens his back and looks directly out into the audience. The entire place is silent, everyone was curious fot what he had to say. Maybe i ess the fact that he had something personal to say. It could have been that the lighting made him look like a nervous angel with his golden hair, mussed up in all the right places due to his constant re-arranging of it. Whatever it was, it made people take notice and listen.

"This poem is called 'Desert Flower'"

"It stands there alone with naught a patch of shade around it.  
Frail yet sturdy; it stands there through the sand and rain.

Every day and night he stands vigil over his domain.  
Unwavering and loyal he defies the heaven with his every breath.

Despite his torn petalsm, he stand tall and proud.  
Showing the world that he is proud of his scars.

At times he is tired; stem tensing with strain.  
Shaking and searching for an outlet for his pain.

Even though he is alone and prickly with anger,  
I still venture forward and shower him with my light.

And though I do not delude myself,  
I am happy that I made him smile.

Even for a little while."

The scraping of a chair drew everyone's attention to a white-haired boy leaving before most started to clap. Gradually everyone joined in 'till the shout of "Bakura!" was drowned out by the noise, leaving a desperate boy attempting to charge after his crush. An attempt made hard due to the appreciative audience blocking his way.

To be continued


	2. Kaiba's POV

**Title:** Desert Flower  
**Author: **KohakoShadow  
**Disclaimer: **I do not own anyone or anything of YGO and co. I just  
happen to use them for my nefarious pleasures. But the poem in the story is mine.  
**Warnings: **No beta, just spell-check and we know how reliable that is. Still looking for beta, pm if you're interested  
**Universe: **Brothers  
**Pairing(s): **Bakura/Jou, mention of Atemu/Ryou  
**Summary: **A weed in the desert is still a flower

Just look at him sitting there on that bench looking all menacing and dangerous. How pathetic. I don't see what Jou sees in him. Just look at him snarling at everyone around him, like a rabid dog. Someone should have put him down ages ago.

He thinks he's all that with his knives and attitude. He's nothing. He doesn't deserve you, Jou. I just wish you realized that. Why can't you realize that? He's nowhere in your league. It's like watching Beauty and the Beast.

He will bring nothing but death and hatred in your life. You deserve so much more. You deserve the whole world and all the riches it contains. What can he give you? Nothing but pain and heartache. A psycho such as him does not know how to love. He thinks of nothing but causing pain and anger towards the world around him.

You're light will be destroyed in his presence. He will taint your innocence; abuse your trust and love. Why could you not pick someone more becoming? Someone worthy of you. Men like Bakura live on the edge. They crave the constant adrenaline pumping in their body; venturing out into the world for more dangerous avenues. He will not settle with just one delectable body when he could have all.

He is handsome I give you that. Yet his beauty is nothing compared to his mean streak. Would you risk your heart, mind and body just for the sake of love, Jou? He can hurt you both physically as well as mentally. Are you really that willing to give your entire being to him, just because you love him? Do you not realize that with just one touch he can mar that beautiful body of you? Do you not care?

But you do care, do you not Jou? You care too much. And that is the crux of the problem. You would take his abuse, just because you love him. Why? Why do you love him?

Is it his attitude that just make people want to punch his light out? Or the way he dresses like something out of a bad B-movie. Do you love him for his morbid thoughts that put even Lucifer to shame? What is so special about him that you would willingly humiliate yourself in front of your friends and a bunch of strangers just to recite a poem you made about him.

A poem he doesn't appreciate as much as you want him to. God damn it he walked out on you. You opened you heart to him and he just stampede right on it, on his way to the exit. He's a fool for acting like a total jackass.

He's nothing! A nobody! And I can't believe that I'm such a sucker for trying to make him come to his senses. What can I say, I just can't resist you. If only wishes were horses.

Should of; would of; could of, truly are the last words of a fool.

"Still scampering off with your tail behind your legs I see!" I sneered at the retreating back of Ryou's Yami.

A scowl greeted me. "What do you want, Kaiba?" Cold eyes connected with mine before dismissing me. I glared at him. How dare he try and ignore me.

A growl sprung from my mouth at the dismissal before a full fledge smirk settled on my face. Bakura gritted his teeth at seeing my smug expression. He was practically gnashing on his teeth. Serves him right, the self-centered bastard.

"Wrong question! You should be asking yourself what YOU want."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

My only answer was to smile condescending at him, before walking away into the night.

To be continued


	3. Budding Relationship

**Chapter 3: Budding Relationship**

After the Seperation, when the three Millenium Spirits gained their own corporeal bodies, it was a surreal moment. But after awhile it felt as if they've always been there all along. Nowadays it wasn't odd to see both Bakura and Marik annoying the hell out of Atemu while he was working at the Kame Gameshop. It was perfectly normal to always see Atemu by Yughi's side. No one blinked to see Marik helping out in Domino Museum or tinkering with Bakura at Razor's bikershop.

They were tangible; larger than life as they were thousands of years ago. Or as Jou would say, "attractive and exotic as hell!" not that they needed to know that. On a good day they were overbearing. Jou wanted to prevent their head from filling up with more hot air than was necessary. 'Sides it would lead to pretty embarrassing moments.

When you got over their arrogance, pride and insults they really weren't that bad to have around. They were just a darker representation of their Hikari. What made them stand out was more the fact that they were their own person. Gradually they began to revert to their old self and yet they were different. Continueing to develop themselves in body, mind and soul. Through the gang's help they had fully adapted to the best of their abilities in this new and foreign world they found themselves in.

All three men now attended Domino High School, even though in spirit they were much older than their peers. And even though they knew more about history than the teachers and were smarter than other students they still went every schoolday, even Bakura and Marik.

Atemu was introduced as Yughi's older brother. Not a second had passed and he already had his own groupie fan-club trailing behind him every single day, much to his irritation and consternation. He had to swear profusely to Yughi not to Mind Crush any female trying to accost him. That didn't mean he couldn't play mind games with Marik and Bakura. He was Pharoah, supreme ruler of Egypt and he'd be damned if he let a Crypt protector and Thief King laugh at his expenses.

Marik went to school just for laughs and to bother Bakura into joining him for one of his many pranks against Atemu. They told the student body that he was Malik's older brother, who had just returned from Egypt after a successful excavation. After his morbid display with twin daggers no one questioned it. Even now the guys at Domino were leery of even approaching or getting anywhere near the sandy-blond youth. The fact that Marik always had a maniacal grin and blood-thirsty look in his eyes possibly also had something to do with that too.

Surprisingly Bakura was the one that actually paid more attention to school than both Atemu and Marik combined. Unlike Atemu and Marik he didn't had much schooling growing up. It was live and get by or die in the desert. And growing up in a town with thieves, rapists and outlaws had their drawback. So he was diligent in his student like his brother but the bullies quickly learned that he wasn't a pussy like his younger 'brother' Ryou. Off course after the descriptive threats, they were wise not to get revenge on Bakura through Ryou.

And so after all the changes of their transformations and forgetful moments, life continued on. Bit by bit the group bonded tighter with each other. They all congregated around each other. Where you saw one of them, the others where usually nearby. But the most surprising thing inside the group would have to be the friendship between Jou with Seto or Bakura.

Despite their difference Jou and Seto managed to be friends with each other. Their traded insults lost their bite and became more affectionate. They treated each other as best friend, much to the dismay of Tristan before Seto set him straight on that matter. Hard and brutal but at least Tristan got the point. Now if only the same thing could be said of Jou's relationship with Bakura.

It wasn't bad at first. Bakura seemed to tolerate Jou while Jou held his own with the Egyptian. Jou's grades even started to improve considering he spent most of his school time with Bakura in the library. Then they started hanging out more when they both learned of their shared interests in archaic weapons. It was a surprise to all of them, except Kaiba to hear about Jou's fascination with weapons. Off course knowing about Jou's past life in America it wasn't unthinkable. Though it was kind of morbid and unnerving to see the blond haired boy as someone with a weapon fetish.

Never the less they seemed chummy together which was disturbing. Something that most of their group agreed on. They debated a lot on the subject but it was agreed unanimously to let things be. There really was no harm in their growing friendship. They liked each other. There were no fights. So the group let them bel only a selective few keeping an eye out to the both of them.

In the dark of the night they whispered of a past long forgotten. Their deepest secrets were unveiled with not a single bout of hesitation. They were honest and sincere, despite their cloaking of the truth. Gradually the hands of friendship turned and brought with it the forbidden wants of lust and hunger.

"My mother, Zahra, was a feisty girl, 'course with 6 older brothers she had to be. Grandfather turned a blind eye towards her and it cut her deeply. She did everything to get noticed. It drove her mad to see the disappointment in his eyes every time she did something to embarrass him. Even playing as one of the guys got her nowhere."

A sigh and compassionate eyes drew Bakura in. The emotions swirling in the sapphire eyes made his head ache. He was far too tired to figure out the blond youth. He had a good thing here. He did not want to ruin it just because of some confusing signals the blond was constantly throwing at him.

"She must have been pretty heartbroken about it. Me and my dad never got along so it wasn't as bad as with Serenity. She was Daddy's girl and when his love died for all of us it hit her pretty hard."

A ruffle on blond tresses and the soft, "I'm sorry," got lost in the winds as they watched the stars above them twinkle and dance.

"Don't be! Hey, what does Zahra means anyway?"

Startled eyes connected with curious ones before looking away. A blush rose up. He shook his head before laying back down.

"Why you want to know, Jou?"

The boy stammered and went beet red. It was a spur of the moment thing. It took him by surprise. It was just that being friends with Bakura made him feel as if he could say and do anything that wouldn't offend Bakura or upset him in anyway. A part of him wondered why he thought that way. Another clearing of a throat brought him back again to the present and the very patient Bakura. It never stopped to amaze him that Bakura would be patient toward him, but it's true. As fas as he can tell, he's the only one the youth has patient for. Apart from Ryou off course, but he doesn't count.

"Just curious. Atemu told me that most Egyptians has some sort of meaning to their names. Just curious. You don't have to answer if you don't want to."

Bakura laughed at the fearful face of Jou and finally managed to wheeze out, "Flower," before a full blown laughter overtook him. Jou looked indignant and glared at the white-haired youth. His cheeks were burning and his mouth was set in a thin line.

"Are you calling me a flower?"

A jab and poke later things blew in Jou's face as he was pinned down by the hard body of Bakura. Twinkling eyes locked onto smoldering one's before letting up. The Egyptian apologized profusely albeit still laughing at the blonde's expression before subsiding.

"Wasn't calling you flower. It's what my Mom's name means. Flower."

"Oh."

"Yes, oh!"

Jou was so embarrassed he burrowed himself as much as he could in the cool green grass. He pillowed his head and curled up in his self. 'Oh, please just let me die.'

"My people were Nomads. We traveled a lot around the desert. We never stayed at one place too long. That was until we got to Kul Elna. My Grandmother loved flowers and despite the circumstances managed to revive a flowerbed in the middle of the desert. It was beautiful. My mother was named 'Flower' because of her love for them. The fact that she gave birth near her flowers could have something to do with that too."

A soft laugh drew Jou back to his presence. He gave an unneeded breath and the tightness in his chest dissipated. He watched the blonde settle fully on the green floor beside him. Lanky frame stretching out on the grassy hillside. Tired eyes blinked owlishly before finally closing.

"Ya not lying are you?"

A soft laugh and Bakura ruffled the blonde's hair for good measure. A hand shot out and whapped his own away. He settled back down and just watched as the silky hair blew wildly around due to the winding wind. He closed his own eyes and let out a deep breath.

He knew he should probably wake the blonde up and soon. They had classes tomorrow and their friends might worry. Not that he'd let anything happen to the blonde. He just wanted to let the quietness and serenity envelop them. It was nice laying here, just the two of them with nothing more than natural music as their company.

If he concentrated hard, he could pretend it was just the two of them in the world.

**To be continued**

**ETA 19/6 Will try to get the new chapter up**


End file.
